Modern Day Miracles

Reading through Genesis today it really hits home the point that God sticks to his end of the bargain even when we humans are ready to bail out or manipulate the situation. Earlier we read that Abram believed God's promise for a son and it was counted as righteousness. But years have passed and nothing. So we have the messy deal with Hagar and Ishmael (who consequently God still protects and blesses...what a gracious God we serve) and then end up with Abram becoming Abraham, Sarai becoming Sarah and both being personally visited by God to once again remind them of His covenant. We know how the story goes. Isaac is born, a miracle baby, and God's covenant is fulfilled.

That's great, we think, sitting at the kitchen table or lounging on the couch. But miracles like that just don't happen nowadays...or so we think.

When I was home for Christmas, I went to church with the folks expecting the regular "it's almost Christmas everyone!" message. Boy, was I ever unprepared. Pastor Dennis' son and daughter-in-law had been praying for a child, but the daughter-in-law had had cervical cancer at an early age and had major, damaging surgery to the point where the doctors said no amount of reconstruction or treatment could ever help her get pregnant. Dennis's wife, Betty, was devistated since she always wanted to be a grandma. She was praying with her friend, Sandra when Sandra told her, "I see you being a grandma. I just know you will." So they prayed for a miracle.

Well, at this point, Pastor Leo who was telling the story broke out in the biggest grin you could ever see. He looked over to the right side of the stage where Betty was coming up the stairs, holding her grandson.

When Dennis and Betty's daughter-in-law had gone to the doctor because she was not feeling right, they had thought the cancer had come back. They were totally unprepared for what the doctors found. She had been healed...completely healed. Every piece of flesh that had been surgically removed had grown back perfectly. The doctors said they had never, ever seen this sort of thing. Not only that, but she was pregnant.

So the day before Christmas Eve Dennis and Betty, their son and daughter-in-law had come to dedicate that little boy, a complete and utter miracle, to God. In his prayer Pastor Leo reminded the congregation of similar little boys who were medical miracles...Isaac, Samuel, John, Jesus.

The whole situation threw into my face my own complete lack of faith. So often when people are healed we credit medical science or good timing for what happens instead of praising our El-Shaddai, our God Almighty. It really made me wonder, when have I ever trusted God with a miracle? When have I ever prayed, really prayed for a miracle, something that only He could do? When have I ever trusted Him that much, given Him that worry and completely rested in His sovereignty?
As my favorite poet T.S. Eliot wrote, "...humility is endless." How true, how true.